Morals of the Church
Library › Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology › Volume II › Book III. On the Aids of the Christian Life, or on the Sacraments › Treatise V. On Penance › Dissertation II. On the Sacrament of Penance › Appendix. On Indulgences › Part II. On Some Indulgences in Species › Section VI. On Real Indulgences › Chapter II. On Some Real Indulgences in Particular

Article — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Article I. On Chaplets

540.

I. Different chaplets. The principal chaplets are: the chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, the chaplet of St. Bridget, etc. The name rosary belongs especially to the chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As regards the matter required, see what was said in n. 536. Moreover:

  1. The chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary must consist of five, ten, or fifteen decades,1 in each of which one Our Father and ten Hail Marys are recited. Without loss of indulgences, the individual decades can be separated from one another, provided that at least five decades are recited on one and the same day.2 In the recitation the more principal mysteries of the life, passion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are to be meditated upon.3 The custom, though not obligatory, is that the joyful mysteries are recalled on Monday and Thursday, the sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the glorious on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.4 If some person is incapable of meditation, it suffices to recite the rosary devoutly, provided he takes care to grow accustomed to meditation on the mysteries.5

The indulgences attached to the chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary are usually called the indulgences of St. Dominic; among them there is, provided that at least five decades are recited, an indulgence of 100 days for each Our Father and Hail Mary. Besides, for the recitation of the third part of the chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the Most Holy Sacrament, whether exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, a plenary indulgence was granted by the Supreme Pontiff Pius XI on September 4, 1927.6

  1. The chaplet of the Seven Sorrows consists of seven parts, in each of which one Our Father and seven Hail Marys are said, with three Hail Marys added at the end in honor of the tears of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Meditation on the Sorrows is not necessary.

For each Our Father and Hail Mary an indulgence of 100 days is granted.

  1. The chaplet of St. Bridget consists of six decades; in each one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and one Creed are said, with one Our Father and three Hail Marys added at the end. Meditation on the mysteries is not required.

For each Our Father, Hail Mary, and Creed an indulgence of 100 days is granted, provided that one has the intention of saying the entire chaplet.7

St. Bridget's indulgences can also be attached to a chaplet of five decades; then, however, to gain the indulgences, the Creed must be added at the end of each decade.8

Note. Among the indulgences which can be attached to chaplets besides those already mentioned, the Apostolic indulgences especially deserve mention (n. 539); likewise the indulgences of the Crucigeri, that is, 500 days for the recitation of each Our Father and Hail Mary, even if the entire chaplet is not recited.9

1 A chaplet consisting of fifteen decades is also called the rosary of St. Dominic.

2 Rescript of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, July 8, 1908 (Analecta Ordinis Praedicatorum 1908, p. 634).

3 Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, August 13, 1726 (Decreta authentica, n. 92).

4 Raccolta, n. 194.

5 Constitution Pretiosus, May 26, 1727.

6 A.A.S. 1927, p. 376.

7 Raccolta, I, p. 206.

8 Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, May 29, 1841 (Decreta authentica, n. 291, to VIII).

9 Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, May 20, 1886.

Chaplets

541.

II. Attachment of indulgences.

  1. As regards the form to be used, see what was said in n. 537.

  2. To one and the same chaplet several indulgences can be attached, provided the chaplet has the form required for each indulgence (cf. canon 933). Hence to the chaplet of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be attached the indulgences both proper to the said chaplet, or of St. Dominic (n. 540), and Apostolic (n. 539), and of the Crucigeri (n. 540), and of St. Bridget (n. 540).

Chaplets

542.

III. Acquisition of indulgences. Having noted above (n. 540 under I), it suffices to add these things:

In order that the indulgences be acquired which require the recitation of certain prayers, the chaplet must be held in the hand and the beads must be passed through successively. If, however, two or more recite the chaplet together, for the acquisition of indulgences it is enough to recite the prayer alternately with a companion, or to follow it mentally while it is recited by another (canon 934, § 3).1 It is said "to follow it mentally"; hence the faithful must abstain only from those external occupations which impede internal attention to the devout recitation of the rosary prescribed for gaining the indulgences.2

  1. By one recitation of a chaplet, the indulgences of several chaplets cannot be acquired, unless something else has been expressly provided (cf. canon 933). Something else, however, has sometimes been expressly provided. Thus, for example, one who recites a chaplet to which the indulgences of St. Dominic and of the Crucigeri are attached acquires both indulgences by one recitation.3

1 Raccolta, I, p. 348.

2 Cf. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, January 22, 1858 (Decreta authentica, n. 384); January 8, 1898.

3 Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, November 13, 1893 (A.S.S. XXVI, p. 310).

Chaplets

543.

IV. How cessation of indulgences has place, see n. 507.

Chaplets